A:  It always feels unfair when we see a young person die, and we feel that there must be a reason for it. But the truth is, that none of us is guaranteed a long life. Death is the great common denominator, and will affect all of us, sooner or later. On a planet of time and space, mortals are subject to accidents and sickness, and sometimes people suffer from the actions of others…it is not necessarily God’s will that people die prematurely. Jesus was a very young person when he died, and his death was brought about—not because God wanted him to die in such a way—but as a consequence of others’ actions. God could have intervened, but he did not. We have to trust that there is a greater good that is served by letting life (and death) unfold in very human ways.

Our lives here are short, relatively speaking, but whether they are decades long, or only months long, our destiny remains the same. God knows and loves each individual, and every individual will have the same opportunity to progress in the Father’s kingdom on high. We may feel a keen sense of loss over the death of anyone, especially a young person, but it should be heartening to know that our loved one is still safe, still cared-for, and still a beloved member of the family of God. Remember, this is only our first life—we have an eternity ahead of us in which we will fellowship with our loved ones and progress with them to an amazing destiny.

From The Urantia Book:

(14:5.10) …death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery.

(156:5.8) Lighten your burdens of soul by speedily acquiring a long-distance view of your destiny, a universe expansion of your career.

…and, I might add, the destiny of the young who appear to die prematurely.

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